Children's TV favourites Bing and Flop at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre

BING and Flop from the multi award winning animated children's television series is at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre with a brand new activity trail as part of:- 'Bing's Nature Explorers' a new joint event programme between:- WWT, the charity for wetlands and wildlife, and independent creative studio Acamar Films.

Running from:- Saturday, 23 March, until Sunday, 2 June 2024, Bing's Nature Explorers will encourage little and big explorers alike to discover and learn about wetland nature and wildlife through a programme of family friendly activities.

The programme will include an activity trail featuring Bing and his friends, which will encourage little legs to discover the signs of spring and learn more about the range of:- plants, birds and animals that call the wetlands home.

What's more, WWT Martin Mere will be hosting interactive mini shows and meet and greets with Bing and Flop during the May Half Term, from:- 25 May until 2 June 2024. Plus, Bing storytelling sessions, featuring the books from:- Harper Collins, during weekends and School Holidays from:- 23 March until 2 June 2024.

There is a range of Bing merchandise available to purchase at WWT Martin Mere's shop. Every child who completes the trail will also receive a souvenir Bing sticker, and those who take part in the storytelling or mini-show sessions can expect to receive paper Bing ears to wear and take home with them.

Nick Brooks, Centre Manager at WWT Martin Mere, said:- "Bing is 1 of TV's best-loved characters, and a brilliant advocate for getting outdoors and learning through play and discovery; which is exactly what we at WWT Martin Mere are all about! We're super excited to be teaming up with Bing and his friends to encourage younger generations to become nature explorers and learn about what makes UK wetland wildlife so special, and to inspire them to help protect the future of wetlands in the UK."

Kirsty Southgate, Director of Experiential and Promotions at Acamar Films, added:- "Bing and his friends love finding opportunities to play outside, and learn more about the plants and animals around them. We hope that visitors to WWT Martin Mere also find the same joy in exploring and learning more about UK wetland wildlife."

During Bing's Nature Explorers, visitors can also enjoy the centre's other paid and free activities such as daily Asian small-clawed otter talks and feeds, thrilling canoe safari rides, and guided boat tours. There will also be additional activities like pond dipping and crafts during weekends and school holidays.

Bing's Nature Explorers will run from:- Saturday, 23 March until Sunday, 2 June. All activities as part of Bing's Nature
Explorers will be included in the admission price or free for WWT members and under 4s.

Cavern Pub to play host to free 'Snappy Hour' photo booth as voter ID confusion remains ahead of the Liverpool City Region's Mayoral Election

AS Liverpool City Region's Mayoral Elections approach on:- 2 May 2024, a new nationally representative YouGov poll of 4103 adults in Britain for Brixton Brewery has discovered a worrying lack of knowledge about how elections work and people's eligibility to vote across Britain.

Despite photo ID being a requisite to vote, the research found that over a quarter of Britons (28%) lack clarity on accepted IDs, with 26% of those in Mayoral Election Regions, including Liverpool, still unclear about which forms of photo ID will be accepted and 16% in England worryingly thinking they do not need photo ID in Mayoral Elections at all.

In response to this uncertainty and inspired by the spirit of Brixton and its people, who have always been activists and campaigners, Brixton Brewery is bringing:- 'Snappy Hour' to Liverpool. The free photo booth will be installed at beloved local pub:- The Cavern Pub, to help voters prepare their ID for the elections.

The photo booth will be available between:- 6pm and 10pm, on:- 27 March and 3 April 2024, at The Cavern Pub, which can be found at:- 5 Mathew St, Liverpool L2 6RE.

Having correct ID is just the tip of the iceberg, with the research finding 72% in Mayoral Regions either don't know what electoral system is used in Mayoral Elections, or gave an incorrect answer. This is significant as the upcoming mayoral elections mark the 1st since the voting changed from supplementary vote (where voters rank their top 2 candidates / parties and the candidate / party which receives more than 50% of 1st preference votes is elected) to the 1st past the post system (the candidate with the most votes not necessarily a majority) will select the winning Mayor.

Speaking about the findings and 'Snappy Hour,' Xochitl Benjamin, Co-Founder of Brixton Brewery, commented:- "Home of so much lively political discussion and debate, local pubs were the perfect place to install these free photo booths. It's clear that many voters are frustrated and disillusioned in Mayoral Regions; our research found:- 2 in 5 think that their vote doesn't matter, which is really shocking. Brixton has a long history of sparking change, and Snappy Hour, which forms part of our ongoing Yes We Cans! campaign, is our way of putting the power to as many people as possible and saying cheers to making a difference, 1 vote at a time."

For those without the accepted forms of photo ID, the deadline to apply for Voter Authority Certificates is the 24 April 2024, however, 52% of those in Regions with Mayoral Elections say they are not confident they'd know how to apply if they needed one.

To help with electoral education, Brixton Brewery has launched a limited edition run of rebranded cans of its best selling beer, Reliance Pale Ale, newly named:- 'Yes We Cans.' Each can has a QR code which directs people to a website where they can find out more about changes to the election process and further details about:- 'Snappy Hour.' Informational coasters have also been created for pubs to help educate the electorate. The cans will be available for free at the pop up events and sent via Brixton Brewery's website in place of Reliance Pale Ale to drinkers across the country between now and the Elections on:- 2 May 2024.

The Brixton Brewery special edition:- 'Yes We Cans' and further information on how to vote at this year's Mayoral Elections is available at:- BrixtonBrewery.Com.

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